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Recording "Direct" -- Is it really...


talljohn

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I'm using the Sequis Motherload speaker simulator. It's awesome, because you can use your amps, shape the sound with various passive filters and you get a great sounding attenuator, as well.

 

I've have a POD Pro, Sans Amp Gt2, Hughes&Kettner Tubeman and software simulators, but nothing comes close to the Motherload. :cool:

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Originally posted by el cochino

I'm using the Sequis Motherload speaker simulator. It's awesome, because you can use your amps, shape the sound with various passive filters and you get a great sounding attenuator, as well.


I've have a POD Pro, Sans Amp Gt2, Hughes&Kettner Tubeman and software simulators, but nothing comes close to the Motherload.
:cool:

 

What is your line-in, line-out setup? I assume that you're able to record directly to the computer without bothering the neighbors. Trace the signal path for me please.

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i just recorded direct a song i wrote yesterday. ....

 

1. i used a Zoom PS02 to record the song

2. played it through my soundcard

3. recorded it using a free software programme called Goldwave (which i only just started using yesterday).

 

i readily admit not knowing the greatest amount about it beforehand, but it worked out fine for me. it really couldn't have been much easier :)

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Originally posted by raggety

i just recorded direct a song i wrote yesterday. ....


1. i used a Zoom PS02 to record the song

2. played it through my soundcard

3. recorded it using a free software programme called Goldwave (which i only just started using yesterday).


i readily admit not knowing the greatest amount about it beforehand, but it worked out fine for me. it really couldn't have been much easier
:)

 

Goldwave is the easiest sound editor program I've run across yet!

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Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall



Goldwave is the easiest sound editor program I've run across yet!

 

 

yeh i'm very pleased with it so far. like i don't have much of any previous experience of doing this kinda thing, but its simple to do with goldwave.

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I plug my guitar into a mxing desk which goes directly into my soundcard.

 

I record with Nuendo. The Clean guitarsound.

 

After that I use 1 of these :

 

Green Machine Amp

Native Instruments Guitarrig

Amplitube

Steinberg Warp Vst

Nomad Factory - Rock Amp Legends

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Originally posted by boosh

I plug my guitar into a mxing desk which goes directly into my soundcard.


I record with Nuendo. The Clean guitarsound.


After that I use 1 of these :


Green Machine Amp

Native Instruments Guitarrig

Amplitube

Steinberg Warp Vst

Nomad Factory - Rock Amp Legends

 

 

I presume using that set-up that you don't have any problems with impedence? I have a pro-tools system which is quite good, yet I hate *always* having to record through microphones. It would be nice to just record to the computer and monitor with headphones.

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Originally posted by talljohn



I presume using that set-up that you don't have any problems with impedence? I have a pro-tools system which is quite good, yet I hate *always* having to record through microphones. It would be nice to just record to the computer and monitor with headphones.

 

 

I have no troubles whatever recording guitar here.

 

Just make sure you don't record them hot. Give them 10db Headroom and you're safe.

 

Offcourse the plugin section costed a fortune but it was worth it. Ain't no Black and White cars in front of my house anymore to tell me to cut down the music.

 

In my opinion recording DI is the best when you have a small homestudio like me. No amps here and you can alter the sound each time you feel like it afterwards.

 

Endless possibilities.

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i think its great

 

im one of those tube guys, have been for about 15 years or so - but there have been some great advances in digital tech. i recently got my first Pod (2.0 w/ long floorboard) and was really surprised at the overall quality of sounds when you tweak your own presets to match your gear for recording. live jamming it still sounds great, but ill admit the feel and response of the tubes modelled is not always there - but also i cant take any points off for that being that its valuable for recording

 

i had heard alot of cool clips here at HC in the past few years done with pods and things like that, which really caught my attention, even those threads where someone posts a clip asking "what amp is it" - and get alot of tube amps in replies, then the poster would let loose the fact its a Pod

 

 

it is pretty easy, i just run mine straight into soundcard with a cable i "modified" - one end is the 1/4 inch guitar jack for the pod side and the other end is an 1/8inch jack for the PC line in. works like a charm.

 

i have gotten myself a midi cable and am fixing to upgrade my soundcard so i can also plug into the midi/gaming port just so i can dump my library of tones onto the PC, and if i ever loose mine (reset the Pod accidentally) they will be there to dump back to the Pod, as well as creating new patches without worrying about forgetting my settings if i want to recall just 1 patch of my personal setting.

 

 

i guess what im trying to say is i think they are a great tool. i still take my tube combo when i jam with others in a band setting, but i do like the tones on the pod enough that im going to invest in some kind of tube poweramp to try and get the sound AND feel live.

 

i admit that no matter what tweaks are done - even setting the switch to "amp" instead of direct, the Pod sounds much better through a flat amp (PA, stereo, etc.) than it does through most of the guitar amps ive tried it with, which is no biggie - thats why im interested in a tube poweramp. also, thats leads me to believe that it would come in mighty handy the way alot of folks use it - direct to the house PA. ive not tried it in a full band/volume setting, but wouldnt that be great to forgo the heavy amps and just bring a guitar with your backpack that houses your Pod/cables? :)

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I've been direct recording for quite a few years and have used all the following equipment at different times:

 

Tech 21 Trademark 60

Tech 21 Tri A.C.

Tech 21 GT2

Johnson J-Station

Yahmaha DG Stomp

Digitech RP series

Line 6 Flextone

 

I've done many demo quality recordings using only the line in of a Soundblaster sound card and monitoring through cheap Radio Shack headphones. Recording direct greatly simplifies getting a good sound to disk and allows you to come back a week later and overdub with a consistent sound (unlike trying to find the original mic position you used). As posted above there are also some great plugs ins. One I would suggest is SIR to model rooms and/or cabinets.

 

However, sometimes when you just can't find "that sound" nothing beats an off-axis SM57 on an amp in the closet...

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Originally posted by talljohn



What is your line-in, line-out setup? I assume that you're able to record directly to the computer without bothering the neighbors. Trace the signal path for me please.

 

 

When I record direct, I use my amps with whatever pedal, speaker out into Sequis Motherload, line out into DI input of Chandler Limited TG2 mic preamp, into UREI 1178 limiter (mostly in bypass mode) into MOTU 192 converters. This is the 'silent' version. Sometimes, I combine this with a miced signal. SM57 or Sennheiser e609 or AKG 414 into the Chandler mic pre. To avoid phase issues between the direct and miced signal, I patch a Little Labs IBP box (a great tool that let's you adjust the phase of a signal from 0 - 180

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Originally posted by el cochino

 

When I record direct, I use my amps with whatever pedal, speaker out into Sequis Motherload, line out into DI input of Chandler Limited TG2 mic preamp, into UREI 1178 limiter (mostly in bypass mode) into MOTU 192 converters. This is the 'silent' version. Sometimes, I combine this with a miced signal. SM57 or Sennheiser e609 or AKG 414 into the Chandler mic pre. To avoid phase issues between the direct and miced signal, I patch a Little Labs IBP box (a great tool that let's you adjust the phase of a signal from 0 - 180

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Originally posted by el cochino

 

When I record direct, I use my amps with whatever pedal, speaker out into Sequis Motherload, line out into DI input of Chandler Limited TG2 mic preamp, into UREI 1178 limiter (mostly in bypass mode) into MOTU 192 converters. This is the 'silent' version. Sometimes, I combine this with a miced signal. SM57 or Sennheiser e609 or AKG 414 into the Chandler mic pre. To avoid phase issues between the direct and miced signal, I patch a Little Labs IBP box (a great tool that let's you adjust the phase of a signal from 0 - 180

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Originally posted by talljohn



Now that is helpful. Gracias oh dirty one.

 

You're welcome oh tall one, even though I'm not sure if you're just being sarcastic. In case I didn't make too much sense, feel free to ask more questions, and I'll happily try to answer them. :)

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Originally posted by el cochino



You're welcome oh tall one, even though I'm not sure if you're just being sarcastic. In case I didn't make too much sense, feel free to ask more questions, and I'll happily try to answer them.
:)

 

No I was not being sarcastic. I translate "el cochino" as "the dirty one":). Your post was quite helpful. I used to live in the country where loudness was not an issue. I now live in the city and the silent aspect of recording "direct" is quite advantageous. Not being "nerdish" on this stuff led me to start the thread. A signal path is exactly what I need(ed). Thanx again.

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Originally posted by talljohn



No I was not being sarcastic. I translate "el cochino" as "the dirty one":). Your post was quite helpful. I used to live in the country where loudness was not an issue. I now live in the city and the silent aspect of recording "direct" is quite advantageous. Not being "nerdish" on this stuff led me to start the thread. A signal path is exactly what I need(ed). Thanx again.

 

Don't worry about the moniker thing - I'm not offended about being called dirty. After all, I picked my screen name name for a reason. :o

 

I was just not sure if the signal chain made any sense, because I have to admit that it's not exactly the best way to record guitars if you're on a budget. I'm almost in the same situation as you are. I live in an apartment building in the inner city of Vienna, and cranking a Marshall stack isn't always an option for me, either. I do have very forgiving neighbors, though, and I can record loud guitars during the day when everybody's at work, but I was searching for the 'perfect' way to record direct for many years and the Motherload is the closest thing to a miced speaker I've came across. The unit isn't exactly cheap, but if you're interested in hearing some sound files, check out Sequis' web site.

 

You can get decent results with POD's and similar devices, but the feel and response of playing through a tube amp can only be achieved with a real tube amp, IMO.

 

Another option (and a cheaper one) would be the Palmer PGA-04 speaker simulator. It doesn't have a built in power attenuator and the sound is more 'processed' (kinda like using several pedals), but still a very good unit.

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I really like to record direct. But here's the deal. You lose a lot of high end and volume if you plug a guitar into a line level input. Now, some people like that sound, but for clean guitar, it can be pretty muffled.

 

So it's best IMHO to plug into something like a preamp, compressor, buffer board, or other electronic circuit designed for guitar and then plug the box's output into your sound card. You'll get less noise, more highs, more level, and a fuller sound.

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Originally posted by raggety

i just recorded direct a song i wrote yesterday. ....


1. i used a Zoom PS02 to record the song

2. played it through my soundcard

3. recorded it using a free software programme called Goldwave (which i only just started using yesterday).


i readily admit not knowing the greatest amount about it beforehand, but it worked out fine for me. it really couldn't have been much easier
:)

 

Hey, I knew someone else out there had to be using a PS-02 *Thumbs up smiley* :D

 

I'll have to check out the Goldwave software. You know if you get the free software from Zooms website and a card reader you can extract each individual track you record on the PS as a wav file? Makes it easier to mix on the desktop. Doesn't work with the programmed drums & bass tho, which is a pain in the rear :mad:

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